Friday, February 22, 2008

Fantasy Sports magazine: A Love Story

I almost not sure what the point is to printed fantasy magazines anymore. You can find all the fantasy information, mock drafts and player rankings you'd ever need for free on the Net, and with fantasy websites, unlike their print counterparts, such things can be continually updated and adjusted based on injuries, trades, etc. (Bottom line: the draft guides being put together by our own Mike Bock are as good as anything you'll find off the magazine rack.)

Still, for reasons I can't quite explain, I go buy a copy of Fantasy Sports magazine before every baseball season. There's just something tangible and satisfying to lying sprawled out on your couch (as opposed to crouched over your computer desk) casually glancing through player projections. Fantasy Sports is the first fantasy mag I ever purchased and still my favorite of the lot. I generally agree with their pre-rankings, and I'm a fan of the 12-team mock draft and 15-team KFFL draft that they print.

This year, however, I came to the conclusion it's ridiculous spending $5.99 plus tax on a magazine filled with stuff that I really don't need to pay for. I could have elected not to buy it. But because I'm sick in the head when it comes to fantasy sports, I went the other way. I actually ordered a subscription to Fantasy Sports: four issues -- two baseball, two football -- for 10 bucks. That's $2.50 per issue. See? Much better.

Fantasy Sports' first baseball issue comes out in January (it's dated April). Their second issue comes out in February (it's dated May). Since I didn't subscribe until mid-January, I was curious as to whether I'd even get the January issue, which has A-Rod on the cover this year, or if they'd start me with the February issue. I thought I got my answer in the mail last week, when I found David Wright grimacing at me from my mailbox. No problem; the second issue's all I really need, anyway. Except today I found A-Rod in my mailbox. Yep, they first mailed me their newer, more up-to-date fantasy mag ... then sent me the old one anyway.

If I was anal, I'd bitch and moan about it. But, honestly, I could care less. Again, it's all about that warm and fuzzy feeling I get flipping through outfielder rankings while I'm sitting on the shitter. (Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about.) So, they sent them to me out of order. Who cares? At least this way, my subscription is nice and even -- two baseball issues, two football, then I can renew in the fantasy off-season. And for the subscription-only price of $10! I can live with that.